De-Stress with Candle Meditation

Posted June, 2014

By Sue Knorr:

Meditation is one of the key components of the Zone lifestyle. Think of it as a makeover for your brain.

Clearing your mind for just 20 minutes daily has a multitude of long-lasting benefits. The process begins with letting go of thoughts and negative emotions and creating a peaceful sense of wellbeing. The really mind-blowing (forgive the pun) aspects of meditation are its physiological benefits, which include lowering the levels of the stress hormone cortisol and prompting epigenetic changes (positive changes in gene expression). I’ll leave the science to Dr. Sears. He recently explained to a group of ZoneHealth Coaches that adding meditation to the basic Zone principles of diet, polyphenols and omega-3s from fish oil takes your experience to “the cutting edge of molecular biology”.

Now imagine yourself on vacation. Picture yourself relaxing at a ski lodge in the mountains or with friends on the beach at dusk or in your own backyard on a cool summer night. You’re sitting in front of a cozy fire staring at the flames. You quickly become lost in the flames to the point you momentarily enter your own little world, oblivious to everything around you and completely immersed in the magic of the flames. Most everyone has had this feeling.

Candle-gazing meditation, also called Trataka (in Sanskrit), takes advantage of the mesmerizing and calming effect of the burning flame. Beginners take to it readily. Many people find it easier to clear the mind when they have an object to focus on. How to Practice Candle Meditation